Bill Clinton, back in the White House briefing room

By
Perry Bacon Jr. and Anne E. Kornblut

Updated: 7:24 p.m.

Former president Bill Clinton made a highly unusual appearance at the White House Friday afternoon, emerging from a meeting with President Obama to endorse the sweeping tax-cut agreement Obama reached this week with congressional Republicans.

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"The agreement taken as a whole is I believe the best bipartisan agreement we can reach," Clinton said in the White House briefing room, during a joint news conference carried live on CNN. Clinton's support could help Obama win over Democratic critics of the deal, particularly in the House.

The scene was remarkable. Obama introduced Clinton and then said he would have to leave shortly for a holiday party. Clinton for a moment feigned deference.

"I feel awkward being here, and now you're going to leave me all by myself?" he said, barely suppressing a smile.

Obama, his arms crossed, stood watching Clinton for a few minutes. Then, as promised, he left.

"I've been keeping the first lady waiting for about half an hour, so I'm going to take off," Obama said.

"I don't want to make her mad," Clinton said, smiling. "Please go."

"You're in good hands," Obama joked.

With that, Clinton -- looking not the least bit fazed -- settled back into the podium, calling on the handful of reporters who made it to the surprise appearance. The ex-president, nearly a full decade after leaving office, seemed at ease in the briefing room. He spoke for more than 25 minutes, taking questions even after White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said "last question."

One reporter asked Clinton whether he enjoyed being at the podium without having to govern.

"I had a good time governing," Clinton said. "I am happy to be here. I suppose when the bullets are fired, they are unlikely at me. They're just ricocheting."

The appearance by the two presidents came out of nowhere; White House officials organized it about five minutes before the two men arrived at the podium.

The joint news conference allowed Obama to promote a high-profile Democratic endorsement of his tax deal but risked potentially unwelcome comparisons between the two presidents, particularly among members of the liberal Democratic base. Liberals who once complained about Clinton's penchant for deal-making with Republicans and, after the 1994 midterms, his move to the political center, could conclude that Obama is on the same path.

But the White House had clearly calculated that it was worth risking further liberal ire to win over the public. And after weeks of speculation about which president's example Obama would follow after his midterm "shellacking" -- with some guessing he might take the confrontational approach of Harry Truman -- it appeared clear which direction Obama intends to go.

The meeting was also the latest sign that the once-bitter relations between Clinton and Obama from the 2008 campaign have turned into a respectful professional relationship. Once his rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, Hillary Rodham Clinton is now Obama's secretary of state and one of his closest advisers. Bill Clinton, who was criticized in 2008 for likening Obama to the Rev. Jesse Jackson, is now close enough to Obama that the administration publicly announced he was coming to the White House and was eager to have him praise the deal.

Until Friday, Clinton had not spoken publicly about the tax-cut deal Obama reached with congressional Republicans. It would extend current tax rates for two years, fund long-term unemployment benefits through 2011 and create major new tax breaks for businesses and individuals to help boost the economy, including a one-year reduction in workers' payroll tax for Social Security.

Clinton's backing for the agreement could be helpful. So few Democratis lawmakers are backing the tax deal that the White House has taken to e-mailing reporters when any Democrat of prominence -- and even some not of prominence -- expresses support it. On Thursday, the White House noted the endorsement of the mayor of Kokomo, Ind.

Where or not you like Clinton you have admit
he could work and auidence with the best of
them. Personally I dislike him and the lack
of ethics I saw under his administration. But he could manulipate a crowd and buffalo
them into voting for him. Like Regan he has
a gift of making people like him be cause he
has a personality. Obama knew he was in the poo poo place and needed a lifeboat to
save him. He called the one Democrat who
still has a good rating with the American
people. Unfortunately when he called in Clinton he admited he was not qualified to
handle a stressful situation nor the press.
Obama took his teleprompter and ran for the
hills as fast as he could. One can think
on their feet and the other cain't even play
basketball without getting smacked down.
The more Obama is exposed to the public without using a telepromptr the less electable he will be in 2012.

Where or not you like Clinton you have admit
he could work and auidence with the best of
them. Personally I dislike him and the lack
of ethics I saw under his administration. But he could manulipate a crowd and buffalo
them into voting for him. Like Regan he has
a gift of making people like him be cause he
has a personality. Obama knew he was in the poo poo place and needed a lifeboat to
save him. He called the one Democrat who
still has a good rating with the American
people. Unfortunately when he called in Clinton he admited he was not qualified to
handle a stressful situation nor the press.
Obama took his teleprompter and ran for the
hills as fast as he could. One can think
on their feet and the other cain't even play
basketball without getting smacked down.
The more Obama is exposed to the public without using a telepromptr the less electable he will be in 2012.

For eight years of his presidency he fought for "FREE" trade, which was a gravy train for the properly positioned, yet a death knell for most manufacturing jobs in this country.

Also Clinton signed into law the republican sponsored "Commodities and Futures Modernization Act" on December 21st 2000, one of his last acts and DIRECTLY responsible for the credit crisis and need for the TARP.
EXCELLENT article in Wikipedia regarding the CFMA, gambling, CDS, CDO and derivatives - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodity_Futures_Modernization_Act_of_2000

This is not surprising because also during Clinton's tenure Greenspan, Rubin and Levitt manipulated Congress to strip the Commodities and Futures Trading Commission of all power to regulate the derivatives market.

Brooksley Born stood alone trying to expose and regulate the OTC derivatives market while Greenspan knowingly and deliberately stopped her correct actions and stood by as Clinton's last act freed regulated institutions to GAMBLE with all of their regulated assets in secret.

THEY ARE STILL ALLOWED TO DO IT. NO LEGISLATION OR REPEAL OF LEGISLATION HAS HAPPENED TO STOP UNREGULATED GAMBLING BY BANKS WALLSTREET MORTGAGE LENDERS ETC.

You guys should stop complaining because, one the health care we have now isnt as good as it was supposed to be. also the law has just been signed so give it some time. so if u want to say u have the right to choose tell that to ur congress men or state official. If you do not have insurance and need one You can find full medical coverage at the lowest price check http://ow.ly/3akSX .If you have health insurance and do not care about cost just be happy about it and trust me you are not going to loose anything!

At least GWB didn't trot out daddy to hold his hand after 9/11. So, ya keep telling us over and over how smart this guy is, ah.. when is he going to start showing us all this genius? What next, trot Carter on stage for a foreign policy discussion? Just to be fair, I'd swap Billy for Bambi in a minute. Would even pay for his interns. Maybe make Hilly ambassador to Greenland, with my apology's to the folks in Greenland.

Well the liberals are trying to hold the middle class and unemployed hostage to push their Socialist agenda. More of the same. History shows us Socialism is just one step away from Communism. I guess the libs didn't learn from the last election. A large majority of Americans didn't like the direction our Country was going and voted to show their displeasure with the liberal agenda.

Why should this be surprising? Despite what happened during the '08 Dem primaries, since Obama assumed office, his presidency has looked more like the extension of the Clinton White House. I voted for Obama. But that was the first signal to me - a lack of originality. He filled his Cabinet with former Clinton aides - Summers, Rahm, Kagan, Lew and so on and where he could not find any or where they refused to come along, he retained Bush's people and holdovers - Geithner, Bernanke and Gates. He even courted Republican senator Judd Gregg but he honestly said No (few occasions where a Republican is honest) claiming he would not be free to express his own ideological opinions.

Clinton's support for this deal with the devil means nothing to a perceptive progressive. Old ways of doing things have passed. We say no more back room dealings. Obama said at the eve of his election something like "I will always be honest with you..." Today that statement is as hollow as ever. He is not honest with the American people who by overwhelming majority supports the tax cuts for the rich to lapse. Allowing tax cuts and generous estate tax to the 2% rich Americans is not honesty. What Americans need are jobs and these fat cats don't create no jobs in America. They speculate and take the jobs abroad and when they fail, main street bails them out. Unemployment checks for the unemployed for 12 months, 2% reduction in payroll taxes and other paltry elements of this deal do not compensate for these rich individuals and their Republican enablers from milking the nation. Certainly, they do not compensate for Obama's betrayal of trust. Integrity still matter. This is his own "Read My Lips" (HW Bush in 1992) and the progressives say "No More." His only saving grace will be if the other side fields Sarah Palin in 2012.

In two years, the lot of the poor and middle class Americans will be the same. The job situation will remain the same. If in all these years they have enjoyed Bush tax cuts, the super rich have not created the ever elusive jobs, what is the guarantee that they will create those jobs in two more years of generous tax cuts? Meanwhile, we are adding another 1 trillion to the National debt. Stupidity is doing the same thing and expecting to get a different result.

So this White House can go ahead and bring Abe Lincoln or FDR from their quite graves to endorse this dirty deal, that will not change the mind of this progressive and many others who mean well for this country and who voted for Obama because we thought he was a man of his word. We should be able to cater to those in need (the poor, the unemployed, the sick, the weak and the like) by restoring their dinity through enabling environment that will create jobs, lower health care costs; without extending tax cuts to the rich who do not need it and pandering to their representatives - the Congressional Republicans. That approach is antithetical to all moral teachings philosophically and religiously.

This President and the Congress passed some very important legislation over the past two years. As Clinton said, because the unemployment rate has barely budged the electorate is too angry to notice some good things have been passed. That is spot on. There are many messages of the mid-term election and one of them is many Americans are fed up with the inability of our Congress (both parties) to actually govern. The proposed agreement has good and bad for both liberals and conservatives and from my perspective, as one who has been involved in negotiations, when both sides are somewhat unhappy with the outcome then perhaps there is some degree of middle ground that has been reached. Most economists sense that this bill (as long as the tax breaks for the rich aren't permanent) will be stimulative. Well folks, in a stalled or barely growing economy, stimulus is still required. So let's give it a chance.

WILL THE PRESS EVER GET THE CLINTONS OUT OF OUR SIGHT. I DO NOT GIVE A HOOT WHAT BILL CLINTON, AKA OVAL ROOM BLOW JOB BILL, SAYS ABOUT ANYTHING. AND THE BLACK BOZO GIVES HIM THE PODIUM IN THE WHITE HOUSE. WHO THE HELL IS IN CHARGE, WHO CARES THAT I AM UNABLE TO PROVIDE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS TO MY CHILDREN?????

Don't let the media confuse you into thinking this is republican vs democrat.
This is more money vs. less money, social-economic class warfare.
The poor and weak are being left out to die by the rich and spoiled.
America sucks.

I don't give a Monkey's butt, if Obama drags the whole Clinton Clan out to endorse his Tax-Cut plans with the GOP.

This Tax Cut plan is bad for Middle Class American's all the way around in the short-term and the long-term.

It's bad I tell you, it's bad.

You think just by giving me another $15.00 every pay period to go buy some Spam is going to appease me. Hell no it won't.

Hell NO it won't and neither is cutting my payroll taxes for one holiday is going to appease me, until the RICH 2% of the Wealth in this country starts paying their fair share of taxes and Corporations STOP shipping American jobs over seas for cheap labor.

I will not spend another dime of these rogue Middle Class tax cuts at an American Corporation until Congress and this President gets serious about the U.S., National Debt and this freaking 13Trillion Dollar Deficit.

Not one single dime will I spend, until somebody starts paying down this freaking 13 Trillion Dollar debt, Stop the Wars, Stop depleting the U.S., Treasury with Tax-Cuts for Everybody and borrowed Money from China, and start Creating some F'ing jobs the United States of America.

gun313: "This is actually unbelievable and I can't imagine what the lamestream media would be saying had a Republican president pulled this stunt."

'Gun'. Good name for a Confederate redneck.

Do you mean, like when Cheney ran the country instead of Bush? When Cheney browbeat the CIA for weeks until the agency supported Cheney's proven lies about WMD and nuclear weapons in Iraq? Cheney's secret energy meetings with oil companies and no one else? Cheney's approval of torture that sometimes Bush didn't even hear about?

Is that what you mean? Don't be AFRAID, Gun, just come out with it. Or are you unable to counter-argue?

Clinton, you should not get involved ( stain your legacy ) on a bad deal that Obama - stupidly agreed with GOP to adopt, but I (as well as millions of Americans ) stand by Sen.Bernie Sanders. Obama, you are out 2012. Thank you, but anyone but you. The (small) GOP and Tea Party folks are - just stupid and wacky, so don't get excited. Our country need a leader like Sen. Bernie Sanders........ Sen. Bernie Sanders for president 2012!

lindalovejones: "The Tea Baggers are so taken by the White House and Capital Hill Christmas Parties they haven't uttered a word since they arrived in D.C."

Hey, Witless: they haven't taken office yet. That happens in January. Maybe you need to brush up on your Constitution, like most elected Tea Baggers will have to do now that they actually have to govern the House.It's gonna be fun.

For those of you who keep talking about Clinton's impeachment, etc. - that has nothing to do with his competence as a president - which is why, of course, Obama called on him. Just stick to the subject of governing, thank you, not outside interests.

"[re: Clinton] A guy who had to Apologize to the Country, on National T.V., for leaving a DNA Sample, on a female Employee's Dress."

Ah, jealousy rears its green head.

You know, you're right. I'd MUCH rather have a racist, alcoholic, cocaine-addicted, National Guard deserting Meat Puppet and his fascist corporate criminal and mass murdering war criminal Cheney. I loved Cheney's secret energy policy talks with nobody but Cheney and oil companies, like his employer throught the Dubya admin, Halliburton.

I especially enjoyed how quickly Americans took to torturing prisoners of war, ensuring generations of mistreated American soldiers, who will be tortured and killed now because the U.S. and the Cheney doctrine has made American hated throughout the world.

America's first non-attacked invasion of a country, the complete deregulation of some of the worst people in the world - Wall Street bankers - wow.

Sure, Clinton oversaw the end of welfare and business friendly metamorphosis that perhaps began with Carter. But the end of the tax cut which was unwise all along for the upper percentile when two unnecessary wars are being fought wasn't good to begin with so why is it good now when the Republicans are also hyping containment of the national debt? No reason except obstruction.
Tax credit are only help to people with enough to need credit and so the ones suffering the most now only get unemployment extension and not really much else in return for letting the rich off the hook. But the fix is in so all this is just letting everyone vent... the stepford presidents always get their way...but they never are who you voted for.. they are mutants and the deal is the same Old Deal which amounts to steal from the poor and give to the rich..

Sure, Clinton oversaw the end of welfare and business friendly metamorphosis that perhaps began with Carter. But the end of the tax cut which was unwise all along for the upper percentile when two unnecessary wars are being fought wasn't good to begin with so why is it good now when the Republicans are also hyping containment of the national debt? No reason except obstruction.
Tax credit are only help to people with enough to need credit and so the ones suffering the most now only get unemployment extension and not really much else in return for letting the rich off the hook. But the fix is in so all this is just letting everyone vent... the stepford presidents always get their way...

Americans, don't be distracted by this nonsense. The biggest issue now is the detainment of Julian Assange. The only reason that Assange has been detained is because he is going to expose the banks for the scandal of the century. The banks are the reason that America is in it's present financial crisis. They have sucked this Nation dry of jobs, companies and money with their maximize profit only strategic. There is nothing wrong with generating profits; but, it is not supposed to be done at the destruction of society. The banks committed corruption and fraud and swindled the taxpayers, federal government and investors out of billions. Once Assange announced that he is going to release confidential documents of a major US bank, the efforts to shut him down began. The banks have committed the scandal of the century and Assange is about to expose them, if he lives long enough. The release of this information will result in criminal investigations, mega lawsuits and a major revision of banking legislation. Even a few political heads will roll. The securities and mortgage fraud are going to make the Madoff scandal look like peanuts. The DOJ and SEC are aware of these felonies and have been mildly slapping the banks on the wrists. But, once Assange drops the bomb, they will be forced to give the impression that they are trying to handle their responsibilities. Congress and the DOJ must ordered a National Foreclosure Moratorium today; order the cease of destruction of any documents by the banks, MERS, investment firms, and bank servicers. This will allow time to thoroughly investigate and prosecute these crimes before the billions and crooks disappear.

This is actually unbelievable and I can't imagine what the lamestream media would be saying had a Republican president pulled this stunt. In a word appalling but perhaps Obama can get Peanut Carter to do a stand in now that he's pulled in BJ. In any case this is the day Odummer's presidency officially died........

Clinton, you should not get involved ( stain your legacy ) on a bad deal that Obama - stupidly agreed with GOP to adopt, but I (as well as millions of Americans ) stand by Sen.Bernie Sanders. Obama, you are out 2012. Thank you, but anyone but you. The (small) GOP and Tea Party folks are - just stupid and wacky.

Americans, don't be distracted by this nonsense. The biggest issue now is the detainment of Julian Assange. The only reason that Assange has been detained is because he is going to expose the banks for the scandal of the century. The banks are the reason that America is in it's present financial crisis. They have sucked this Nation dry of jobs, companies and money with their maximize profit only strategic. There is nothing wrong with generating profits; but, it is not supposed to be done at the destruction of society. The banks committed corruption and fraud and swindled the taxpayers, federal government and investors out of billions. Once Assange announced that he is going to release confidential documents of a major US bank, the efforts to shut him down began. The banks have committed the scandal of the century and Assange is about to expose them, if he lives long enough. The release of this information will result in criminal investigations, mega lawsuits and a major revision of banking legislation. Even a few political heads will roll. The securities and mortgage fraud are going to make the Madoff scandal look like peanuts. The DOJ and SEC are aware of these felonies and have been mildly slapping the banks on the wrists. But, once Assange drops the bomb, they will be forced to give the impression that they are trying to handle their responsibilities. Congress and the DOJ must ordered a National Foreclosure Moratorium today; order the cease of destruction of any documents by the banks, MERS, investment firms, and bank servicers. This will allow time to thoroughly investigate and prosecute these crimes before the billions and crooks disappear.

Miller123: "When you throw clinton in the mixed. wow! I think I would like to play chess with President Obama"

I still think Obama could have put up a fight and made the Repubs state publicly that they were willing to let 96% of Americans' taxes to rise so the top 2 per cent of rich spoiled brats could get a total of $700 billion in unneeded free money.

Bringing Clinton out was a master stroke, however. I've always loved the guy. People respect him a hell of a lot more than any Republican you can name. And, Clinton did *not* endorse the whole boat of Obama moves. He said the compromise "taken as a whole..." was a good deal, being that Republicans would've done the same thing with the tax rates in January, and probably WITHOUT the few concessions Obama did get from them.

I'm still hugely ticked; I want to see fascist and racist RepubliTeas skewered in our non-existent free press...but I will now at least take a breath and consider a Republican prez as a worse alternative. AND I will await some more maneuvering from Obama, who shows he's beginning to get crafty. Let's see if he can do anything else but compromise.

Good idea. Good strategy. Ya find yourself in trouble? Go out and get an IMPEACHED Former President, who lost a Civil Case involving him Pulling his PANTS DOWN and EXPOSISING his GENITALS. A guy who was accused of GROPING one woman, on National T.V. and accused of RAPE, by another woman, on National T.V. A guy who had to Apologize to the Country, on National T.V., for leaving a DNA Sample, on a female Employee's Dress.
Yep. No doubt about it.
That's the guy I want, when things are going bad.
Pathetic.

Posted by: GoomyGommy
====================
DUDE you and the GOP are GUILTY of Treason, lying, murder, torture and rape
and
you have fallen in love with your tormentors.

Wow! You gotta wonder what the Repubs promised Obama for 2012. He sure is pulling out all the stops on this tax deal.

We're hearing that this will cost the country billions added to the deficit. So what kind of negotiator is this president. With this behavior, who needs enemies!

Obama appears incredibly desperate by asking for impromptu support from Bubba who Obama soundly villified during the 2008 campaign - remember when Obama called Clinton a racist, so he could get the black vote?

Look at what time I posted this on another site!! Now tell me who is running this country!! It is NOT the "Speech Giver"

79USMC83
Posted on December 10, 2010 at 10:51am
The teaser today from the “Speech Giver” is that his new campaign for 2012 will be the same ole song and dance, all CAREER POLITICIANS run on. He did the “Change Thing” in 2008, so all that is left for the sheep to rally around in 2012 is TAX reform!!! Pelosi and the other Traitors will try NOT to pass anything. They have proven they do not CARE about WE THE PEOPLE but only TRANSFORMATION. So what if WE THE PEOPLE”S tax’s go up in 21 days. They really do not care about the “Middle Class” when the hidden Agenda is ONE class of sheep!! The “Speech Giver” coming out and bashing BOTH parties was for a reason. It is all about keeping “ONES” power. The “Speech Giver” knows that to keep his POWER and to be re-elected in 2012 he will have to ACT like a MODERATE. Beware of a WOLF covered in sheepskin. Why do you think he is meeting with Clinton??? I do not “Know what the definition of sex is” holds more POWER with the PARTY than the “Speech Giver” does. Power hungry people throughout history have always changed alliances. Why are many sooo fascinated with the show “Survivors” they love a good back stabbing!! The sad part about the ‘Government Stupid” is that it is WE THE PEOPLE that are always getting ambused from behind by the ones always preaching “For the good of THE PEOPLE!!
If nothing is done and WE THE PEOPLE‘S tax’s all go up. Who wins? The FAR-LEFT does because this might bring even more PROTEST from WE THE PEOPLE called Tea Partiers. Is the HIDDEN AGENDA of the FAR-LEFT to get WE THE PEOPLE in the streets and to become even MORE angry at the “Government Stupid”? Do they want violent dis-obediance to declare Marshal Law?
Why is Clinton ALWAYS in this picture? Is POWER the only thing in this man’s life? Is the “Speech Giver” really a Manchurian president for Clinton and a small group of Dictator wannabes?

Clinton did some really good things for us, but he was basically a corporatist blue-dog Democrat, and NAFTA and the repeal of Glass-Steagall have greatly harmed the middle class.

Of course he supports this obscenity. For Obama to trot him out and try to save this bill is sad and pathetic, and just shows you how the leadership of the Democratic party is only few steps above that of the GOP, which has to be the biggest bunch corporate-owned Wall Street tools in history.

For eight years of his presidency he fought for "FREE" trade, which was a gravy train for the properly positioned, yet a death knell for most manufacturing jobs in this country.

Also Clinton signed into law the republican sponsored "Commodities and Futures Modernization Act" on December 21st 2000, one of his last acts and DIRECTLY responsible for the credit crisis and need for the TARP.
EXCELLENT article in Wikipedia regarding the CFMA, gambling, CDS, CDO and derivatives - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodity_Futures_Modernization_Act_of_2000

This is not surprising because also during Clinton's tenure Greenspan, Rubin and Levitt manipulated Congress to strip the Commodities and Futures Trading Commission of all power to regulate the derivatives market.

Brooksley Born stood alone trying to expose and regulate the OTC derivatives market while Greenspan knowingly and deliberately stopped her correct actions and stood by as Clinton's last act freed regulated institutions to GAMBLE with all of their regulated assets in secret.

THEY ARE STILL ALLOWED TO DO IT. NO LEGISLATION OR REPEAL OF LEGISLATION HAS HAPPENED TO STOP UNREGULATED GAMBLING BY BANKS WALLSTREET MORTGAGE LENDERS ETC.

1) ... Those who have always hated him or intensely disliked him, for whatever reason, who now are 'venting' their hatred and anger because he's getting some flack from his own base.

2 ) ... those who voted for him or supported him even up 'til now, who feel 'betrayed'.

To the first group, I say, hey go ahead, have a party, do what you do, hate away, you always have and you always will, most of you are greedy, selfish SOB's anyway ...

To the second group,

Yes, ... President Obama is not without blame for this mess.

HOWEVER -----

This is a fine, brilliant strong leader who is up against some vile, treacherous, despicable, sleepwalking, bloodsucking zombie snakes whose ONLY 'mission' in life is to suck up to the riches of the rich, even though most of those people don' even WANT that help.

... Instead of attacking a fine President who is, after all a human being and is therefore not perfect and makes mistakes,

... direct your anger at McConnell and Boehner and their band of thuggish terrorists who are literally ( !!! ) holding this country hostage.

McConnell and Boenher are the REAL culprits here, NOT President Obama.

Could this have been handled better? yes,

...BUT ...NONE of us knows everything that has happened, and while it's easy to throw stones and make claims about what should be or could be, or what did actually happen behind the scenes,

Democrats showing of their generational problem. Yipee!!
Posted by: dottydo
_________________________________________
Democratic generational problem? John McCain is SO far over the hill mentally that he can't even see the top any more!

So former President Clinton, who brought us NAFTA and the repeal of Glass-Steagall, now supports the enormous fat cat Republican budget busting stimulus bill extending tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires. And now we're approaching a $2 trillion annual deficif and the middle class is being relegated to jobs as $8/hr. hamburger flippers. Has Obama no shame?

It's confirmed..there is no way Obama wants or could win a 2nd term. If I didn't just see that I would of never believed he just left PRESIDENT Clinton standing there...OMG....Obama Presidency is officially over.

I was livid at Obama -- now I'm livid at Clinton too (voted for both). How can they cave to $700 BILLION in tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of the population. I'm not in that category, but definitely "upper income" and think that the cuts shouldn't even apply in my income category. Are the Tea-Partiers supporting this? I would think they'd be screaming against it once they finally "got" what it meant $$-wise!!!

It's confirmed..there is no way Obama wants or could win a 2nd term. If I didn't just see that I would of never believed he just left PRESIDENT Clinton standing there...OMG....Obama Presidency is officially over.

I'm amazed more folks haven't figured out that paying less into Social Security via the payroll tax holiday will mean less going into their individual retirement accounts.
It's the ultimate version of bribing people with their own money.
How strange.

Hey, politics is compromise. Clinton did it and now Obama has to do it. If this helps the economy and lowers unemployment it is a win/win for everybody. Obama got us on a path to make healthcare affordable for everyone. He has kept the economy from imploding from Bush's war spending. The housing markets are still weak, but they are still holding on. What more can anyone expect? We will overcome competition by our incredible ability to invent and improvise. We will beat the terrorists.
Paul McCarthy was on TV talking about singing Michelle to Michelle Obama last night at the White House. When the Beatles landed in the U.S. in 1964 the Equal Rights Ammendment had not yet been signed. Think about the progress we have made. Think about how much farther we can go if we stop listening to the reactionaries and start believing in possibilities.

1. Nobody asked him if he would have taken this deal in this manner. He would have said no -- he would have dared them to stick to their guns and halt tax cuts for everybody. Just ask stupid Newt how that whole "gauntlet" thing worked out.

2. I would take this guy back in the White House in a nanosecond. I'ld even lobby for earmakrs for his girlfriends.

Meanwhile, the Senate is loading lard into the tax bill to grease it through next week.
Funds for things like wind mills, ethanol, and other special favors. Reid's pay-back gambling bill is probably in there, too.
It's an scary thing, when there's a bi-partisan raid on the treasury.
Who's watching out for the people?

Cnn, fox, msnbc as well as the other networks will not let other people of color who can give great analysis and commentary on the air. They tend to stick with jesse or al. What are they and the networks afraid of? CNN gave a comedian a show and cancel it when it didn't work. So did phoney fox news. They will invite jocks and entertainers to give opinions on politics before they would give other people of color who can speak on the subject serious tv time. WHATS UP WITH THAT!

Wow! How pathetic, how ignorant, how emasculating. Did you see the part where they start asking Clinton follow up questions and Obambi bags it? Obama and the Democrat party has friggin fallen apart. For all you Dem haters out there, try this thought exercise out. What would you have send about President GW Bush if he had brought his Dad in for garbage like this? This is really unbelievable. I wasn't but now I'm scared about having Obama as President. He is ineffective, pathetic and lost. The world is too dangerous and scary to have this loser at the helm. Man, what a head shaker.....

Wakeup people! Obama is an unadulterated genius! This man is playing both sides against each other and is going to get what he wants, after both sides finish looking like foolish children. He put the bait out and both the Reps and Dems took after it. Now, both sides are showing how they truly feel and what they are truly about. Obama has gone from stalement to check and is about to get a checkmate. It is no way that Obama would have gotten the Reps to agree to all of the entitlements and benefits for the poor and middleclass, if he didn't sacrifice the pawns of tax breaks for the rich and pay freeze for federal workers. He has exposed the greed of the Republicans and they will have to try to save face before the next election. He has gotten the lazy Democrats off their butts and motivated them to fight. 2012 will be CHECKMATE!

Kicked repubs butt in baltimore, Kicked dems butt in dc. There are people like david gergen, analyst for CNN, who gets afraid of a man who speaks like Obama. Hmmm. This isn't the first time and won't be the last time that an intelligent man who happens to be black causes people to fear him so much so that the only way to attack him is to disrepect him or as it has been in many cases cause physical harm.

Kicked repubs butt in baltimore, Kicked dems butt in dc. There are people like david gergen, analyst for CNN, who gets afraid of a man who speaks like Obama. Hmmm. This isn't the first time and won't be the last time that an intelligent man who happens to be black causes people to fear him so much so that the only way to attack him is to disrepect him or as it has been in many cases cause physical harm.

AMERICA LISTEN PLEASE GAS IS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH, BY JANUARY IT WILL BE 5 DOLLARS WHICH I AM ALREADY AWARE THAT ITS THAT PRICE IN NY, WASHINGTION CONNETICUT, RHOAD ISLAND & CALIFORNIA. WHERE ALL THE CROOKS RESIDE! I WILL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TOO CANCEL HEALTH CARE, CELL PHONE AN TIMEWARNER. WITH GAS AT THAT PRICE I WILL HAVE TO MOVE INTO A BOX. DAMN THOSE STATES ALL TOO HELL WHICH IS RIGHT WHERE THEY ALL ARE HEADED !

“Mr. Obama is setting up another hostage situation a year down the road.”

“One big concern: Republicans may try using the prospect of a rise in the payroll tax to undermine Social Security finances.”

Yes, and mark my word, Republicans will definitely try to transform that 2% payroll tax reduction into a “Trojan Horse;”
They will try to shift this “Trojan Horse” into the beginnings of Social Security “Privatization.”
You will see; they will introduce a bill to use this 2% to start the privatized stock market retirement accounts and god help the newly retired folks the next time the stock market crashes because of the greedy reckless adventures of Wall Street firms.

Just who is president? Seriously, this was Obama's chance to take the bull by the horns and do some leadership, but instead, he brings in slick willy to do his sales job for him and states he has another Christmas party to go to. What is up with that crap? Are we to believe now that the tax cut comprimise didn't rank high enough on Obama's list to warrent being late to ,"yet another Christmas party?"

Obama's big chance to lead and he turns it over to slick willy and now even democrats are saying it sounds different when another former president spells out the game for democrats. WHAT? The democrats sound racist and they were calling republicans the party of "NO" and calling anyone who opposed Obama and his policies a racist.

Democrats are as twisted now as any point in the last century. Clinton was supposed to be the one who actually changed the ideals of democrats from a segregationist, separatist orgainzation, but it seems they still cling to the same old politicts they did since the "NEW DEAL" as they can't even accept a deal working across party lines unless its sold by an good old white boy from the democratic party and Obama, like the token he has allowed himself to becom, accepts the reality and goes to a Christmas party. Who arrogant is that? Seriously, he should be voted out of the office by a vote of no confidence by the next AM.

Just who is president? Seriously, this was Obama's chance to take the bull by the horns and do some leadership, but instead, he brings in slick willy to do his sales job for him and states he has another Christmas party to go to. What is up with that crap? Are we to believe now that the tax cut comprimise didn't rank high enough on Obama's list to warrent being late to ,"yet another Christmas party?"

Obama's big chance to lead and he turns it over to slick willy and now even democrats are saying it sounds different when another former president spells out the game for democrats. WHAT? The democrats sound racist and they were calling republicans the party of "NO" and calling anyone who opposed Obama and his policies a racist.

Democrats are as twisted now as any point in the last century. Clinton was supposed to be the one who actually changed the ideals of democrats from a segregationist, separatist orgainzation, but it seems they still cling to the same old politicts they did since the "NEW DEAL" as they can't even accept a deal working across party lines unless its sold by an good old white boy from the democratic party and Obama, like the token he has allowed himself to becom, accepts the reality and goes to a Christmas party. Who arrogant is that? Seriously, he should be voted out of the office by a vote of no confidence by the next AM.

Bill isn't likely to wade into this mess. However, I DO hope he advises BO (privately)to quit beating up his base. Clinton was viciously attacked by the left-wing of his party, but he NEVER criticized them. He just praised them for their moral commitments and apologized for doing what he had to do.

Bill isn't likely to wade into this mess. However, I DO hope he advises BO (privately)to quit beating up his base. Clinton was viciously attacked by the left-wing of his party, but he NEVER criticized them. He just praised them for their moral commitments and apologized for doing what he had to do.

Bill isn't likely to wade into this mess. However, I DO hope he advises BO (privately)to quit beating up his base. Clinton was viciously attached by the left-wing of his party, but he NEVER criticized them. He just praised them for their moral commitments and apologized for doing what he had to do.

Knowing what we know about Bill and Barrack, here is a version of their conversation. Bill says Hey. What’s up? Oama says though I might get a little help from you old buddy. Put some of that former Presidential charm to work on our fellow Democrats and work some of that magic of your charisma to tell them to support me on this tax-cut thing because it is in the best interest for their political careers. But, don’t promise Nancy a job in the White House. Bill says I’ll see what I can do. Watch out for Schumer and I’ll give you some campaign advice for 2012. But, don’t expect me on the basket ball court. Remember what LBJ did at the White House swimming pool. See ya later.

remember, just last week, he brought in Colin Powell to help with START.

Now START, don't ask, don't tell, the Dream Act....won't be touched by the republicans. They stated before. Nothing gets to the floor unless the tax cuts are extended. They are holding to it.
No votes on anything else.

And we need the START act to be acted upon.

I tell ya, if Congress goes on Xmas break without dealing with the Tax Cut Bill - I am going to turn IND. Heck, I already did.

4. Mr. Obama Guantanamo, 2 years later is not Closed yet t""""""" Exactly As Republicans Asked and Agenda """""""

5. Mr. Obama .Health Care, It Has Been All the Way Water Down """"""" Exactly As Republicans Asked and Agenda """""""

6. Mr. Obama Never Created Specific and Effective Program Of Job Creation for New Generation and Middle Class.
Instead Spent All His Time Dumping Money To Banks, GM, GoldMan, """"""" Exactly As Bush Republicans Asked and Agenda """""""

7. Mr. Obama JOBS, Instead of Creating Effective JOB Creation Program, Mr. Obama Dumped Money to Wall Street, Banks,
Financial Firms, Witch Did Not Create JOBS, And the Money From U.S.A Bank Went """"""" Offshore That Where the American Jobs Are """"""" Exactly As Republicans Asked and Agenda """""""

Bill Clinton popular with democrats? So. So is Obama. That does not mean we agree with what either says. Frankly if he listens to Bill, this democrat will be more outraged. No more triangulation. No more advice about Nafta, etc. Bill Clinton was republican lite. The difference is that he did try to get what he wanted. Obama just folds. The economy was good with Clinton. But Clinton is part of the reason the populace is where we are today, broke with no jobs, thanks to Nafta.

To be seeking advice from someone as ethically challenged as Clinton is a rather pathertic indictment of Obama and current "liberal" ideology. Better advice to the presently incestuous liberals and big media is to reconsider the addage "Take care what you wish for...."

Good idea. Good strategy. Ya find yourself in trouble? Go out and get an IMPEACHED Former President, who lost a Civil Case involving him Pulling his PANTS DOWN and EXPOSISING his GENITALS. A guy who was accused of GROPING one woman, on National T.V. and accused of RAPE, by another woman, on National T.V. A guy who had to Apologize to the Country, on National T.V., for leaving a DNA Sample, on a female Employee's Dress.
Yep. No doubt about it.
That's the guy I want, when things are going bad.
Pathetic.

Good idea. Good strategy. Ya find yourself in trouble? Go out and get an IMPEACHED Former President, who lost a Civil Case involving him Pulling his PANTS DOWN and EXPOSISING his GENITALS. A guy who was accused of GROPING one woman, on National T.V. and accused of RAPE, by another woman, on National T.V. A guy who had to Apologize to the Country, on National T.V., for leaving a DNA Sample, on a female Employee's Dress.
Yep. No doubt about it.
That's the guy I want, when things are going bad.
Pathetic.

The World is seeing Obama for what he is. The only way to beat obama is to Deny him. obama, His words describe him, He is a False Hope, If you listen to him you will love him. He carries a Bow without an Arrow. He will conquer all through his speech, his false hoods will capture all who sit and listen to him. The False one. Obama is without a doubt the Anti-Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:11-12
11And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

From all appearances, Bill's been running things (thru his puppets Rahm, Ruben, Podesta, etc.)since Obama's inauguration. He even got his old buddy Eskine Bowles, a real non-entity DINO, on the Cat Food Commission to spout his triangulation theories with regard to the debt. Why does Bill need a face to face visit with O, does he think O hasn't been accomodating enuf to the GOP?

An long Afghan war by itself put Russia into bankruptcy. The USA government has forced our military into Iran,Pakistan,Yemen and still in Iraq with 50 bases.

The question becomes how can the USA NOT be on the brink of bankruptcy when considering the long long mideast war and the 3 items below?

1. The Reagan/ Bush Savings and Loan Heist( millions out of work)
"There are several ways in which the Bush family plays into the Savings and Loan scandal, which involves not only many members of the Bush family but also many other politicians that are still in office and were part of the Bush Jr. administration.

Jeb Bush, George Bush Sr., and his son Neil Bush have all been implicated in the Savings and Loan Scandal, which cost American tax payers over $1.4 TRILLION dollars (note that this was about one quarter of our national debt").

2. The Bush/Cheney Wall Street Bank Fraud on Consumers(millions out of work)
Yes, substantial fraud was involved. For example, mortgage companies and banks used deceit to get people to take on mortgages when there was no possibility that the borrowers would be able to meet the payments. Not only was this fraud, but this fraud depended on government authorities(Bush admin) ignoring their regulatory responsibilities."http://www.dollarsandsense.org/archives/2009/0709macewan.html

3. Only 3 major Financial Institutions were at risk in spite of what we’re told ?
"There were just a handful of institutions that were terribly weakened. AIG the insurer, Bank of America and Citigroup, \Those three were clearly in very weakened form. Many of the other big banks simply were not. http://www.democracynow.org/2009/9/10/good_billions_after_bad_one_year

Food for thought: The war is killing the economy not medicare, Social Security, public education or food stamps!!! In 2008 it has been determined the cost of war is at $3 trillion. What the media and politicians are not revealing is the estimated 35,000 disabled
troops and their families that we taxpayers must support and rightfully so. The cost could well be $5 trillion in 2011.

1. The U.S. health care system is typically characterized as a largely private-sector system, so it may come as a surprise that more than 60% of the $2 trillion annual U.S. health care bill is paid through taxes, according to a 2002 analysis published in Health Affairs by Harvard Medical School associate professors Steffie Woolhandler and David Himmelstein.

2. Social Security adds to the deficit Reality: It's not just wrong—it's impossible! By law, Social Security's funds are separate from the budget, and it must pay its own way. That means that Social Security can't add one penny to the deficit.

3. Benefit cuts are the only way to fix Social Security. Reality: Social Security doesn't need to be fixed. Baby boomers were being planned for decades ago.

But if we want to strengthen it, here's a better way: Make the rich pay their fair share. If the very rich paid taxes on all of their income, Social Security would be sustainable for decades to come. Right now, high earners only pay Social Security taxes on the first $106,000 of their income. But conservatives insist benefit cuts are the only way because they want to protect the super-rich from paying their fair share.

4. Politicians forget to tell the news media privatizing Social Security will add $700 billion to the deficit annually for the next 20 years.

5. Letting tax cuts for the top 2 percent—which were never meant to be permanent—expire as scheduled would pay down the federal debt by $700 billion over the next ten years.

6. Medicare is NOT free. Millions of people using medicare insurance STILL pay into medicare insurance every month.

7. The military industrial complex requires 60% of every tax dollar.... way tooo much money. REDUCE THIS BY 50%!

Food for thought: The war is killing the economy not medicare, Social Security, public education or food stamps!!!

According to reports, the US Marines in Afghanistan use 800,000 gallons of gasoline per day. At $400 per gallon, that comes to a $320,000,000 daily fuel bill for the Marines alone. Only a country totally out of control would squander resources in this way.http://www.counterpunch.org/roberts10222009.html

The government spent an estimated $572 billion on the military in 2007. This amounts to about $1,800 for every resident of the country. That's more than the combined GDPs of Sweden and Thailand, and eight times federal spending on education.

The level of military spending has risen dramatically since 2001, with the increases beginning even before 9/11. As a share of GDP, the military budget rose from 3 percent to 4.4 percent during the first seven years of the Bush presidency. At the current size of the economy, a difference between a military budget at 4.4 rather than 3 percent of GDP amounts to $134 billion.

The largest increases in the military budget during the Bush presidency have been associated with the Iraq War. Indeed, the $138 billion spent on Iraq in 2007 was basically equal to the total increase in military spending that caused the military budget to rise to 4.4 percent of GDP. It is often argued that the military budget is a cornerstone of the economy--that the Pentagon is a major underwriter of important technical innovations as well as a source of millions of decent jobs. At one level these claims are true.

When the government spends upward of $600 billion per year of taxpayers' money on anything, it cannot help but generate millions of jobs. Similarly, when it spends a large share of that budget on maintaining and strengthening the most powerful military force in the history of the world, this cannot fail to encourage technical innovations that are somehow connected to the instruments of warfare.

Yet it is also true that channeling hundreds of billions of dollars into areas such as renewable energy and mass transportation would create a hothouse environment supporting new technologies. For example, utilities in Arizona and Nevada are developing plans to build "concentrated" solar power plants, which use the sun to heat a liquid that can drive a turbine.

It is estimated that this technology, operating on a large scale, could drive down the costs of solar electricity dramatically, from its current level of about $4 per watt to between $2.50 and $3 per watt in the sunniest regions of the country. At these prices, solar electricity becomes much cheaper than oil-driven power and within range of coal. These and related technologies could advance much more rapidly toward cost competitiveness with coal, oil and nuclear power if they were to receive even a fraction of the subsidies that now support weapons development (as well as the oil industry).

What is a Republican? A Republican is a person who hates the middle class, the poor, minorities and all immigrants. The Republicans want the entire population to be homeless, powerless and without medical insurance. The new big Republican project is to kick public school teachers out of the middle class and leave them destitute. The Republicans are seething at the amount of power the teachers' unions are exerting and they won't be happy until the unions have been destroyed. When is America going to wise up to the Republicans? We should be fighting them in the streets, not compromising with them. Mark Montgomery NYC, NY boboberg@nyc.rr.com

What is a Republican? A Republican is a person who hates the middle class, the poor, minorities and all immigrants. The Republicans want the entire population to be homeless, powerless and without medical insurance. The new big Republican project is to kick public school teachers out of the middle class and leave them destitute. The Republicans are seething at the amount of power the teachers' unions are exerting and they won't be happy until the unions have been destroyed. When is America going to wise up to the Republicans? We should be fighting them in the streets, not compromising with them. Mark Montgomery NYC, NY boboberg@nyc.rr.com

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